Courtesy Philadelphia Zoo
[ Philadelphia Zoo ]
The Philadelphia Zoo is Pennsylvania’s gateway to the world, bringing visitors face to face with more than 1,300 animals from around the globe. Many of these animals live in immersive habitats that make for exciting visitor experiences.
One of the zoo’s newest highlights is the $17.5 million McNeil Avian Center, an enclosed, walk-through habitat where guests can see more than 100 birds, including rhinoceros hornbills, hammerkops and Victoria crowned pigeons. The PECO Primate Reserve has gorillas, lemurs and orangutans, as well as a family of “free range” golden lion tamarins living in trees outside the building. A big-cat exhibit features endangered snow leopards, pumas and Amur tigers inside a habitat full of lush plants and waterfalls.
The zoo’s Living Classroom program includes opportunities such as hands-on encounters with armadillos and other zoo animals. Adventurous groups can even arrange to stay overnight at the zoo.
www.philadelphiazoo.org
[ Historic Philadelphia ]
With so many significant sites, such as Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House, Franklin Square and the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia’s historic district is bound to be a part of any group tour itinerary. For youth groups, the programming offered by Historic Philadelphia offers a great way to enhance the educational experience.
The organization’s Once Upon a Nation program brings interpretive storytellers to the downtown area, giving visitors personal accounts from the events surrounding America’s creation. The program also features a number of adventure tours of the district, including after-hours visits to taverns and a re-creation of a Continental Congress debate at Independence Hall.
Lights of Liberty, another program run by Historic Philadelphia, uses modern laser technology to project light shows onto the exteriors of historic buildings, giving groups a multimedia experience.
www.visitphilly.com/historic-philadelphia
[ Franklin Institute ]
Benjamin Franklin’s spirit of experiment and discovery lives on at the Franklin Institute, a museum dedicated to opening visitors’ minds to the wonders of the world in which we live. Focusing on natural sciences, the museum introduces young guests to numerous new concepts in a variety of fun and interactive environments.
Highlights of the Franklin Institute include the “Giant Heart,” a walk-through model of a human heart, and “Electicity,” which features exhibits such as Tesla coils and a dance floor that lights up as people move on top of it. Visitors will also find museum areas dedicated to trains, aeronautics, sports, outer space and other subjects.
In addition to the regular exhibits, the Franklin Institute offers a number of special workshops and interactive experiences for youth groups that make arrangements in advance of their visits.
